Coming Home
by MickeyTaco
Summary: Just a sweet one-shot of Ed coming home to Winry just before their anniversary, and little does he know, she has a surprise for him.


Winry checked the clock on the wall for the fourth time in the past fifteen minutes. No matter how many times the blonde looked, time seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. She wiped the sweat off her brow and focused on her pie crust. _What was it that Granny always says about her pie crusts? _"Roll it too much, and it's tough. If you don't roll it enough, then it'll crumble and fall apart."

As her hands worked the rolling pin, her mind wandered. The house was quiet, which was usual for this time of the afternoon. Den was sleeping on the porch, and Pinako had gone to take an afternoon rest as well, leaving the automail mechanic to focus on her projects. Edward had been gone for several weeks already on this particular trip, but had promised he would be back by the end of this week. Winry gave a reflexive smile as she recalled the conversation they had at the train depot.

"How long will you be gone this time?" she had asked,

Ed rubbed the back of his head and chuckled slightly. "I don't really know. I'm going to be spending some long days researching this new alchemy that the people of Creta are using to keep their livestock healthier." He couldn't contain the excitement in his voice at the prospect of learning new alchemy techniques. "Oh, that's not all!" he quickly added. "And then I'm going to swing by and visit Teacher before coming home."

Winry watched his golden eyes gain the slight warmth and remorse they always did when he referenced Izumi Curtis. "You'll tell her that I said 'Hello', won't you? I haven't forgotten her hospitality when we stopped on the way back from our honeymoon."

Ed visibly blanched and gulped hard before he replied. "And I thought you were scary with a wrench," he mumbled under his breath.

His wife giggled softly. "I don't know why you find her so intimidating. She's a really sweet woman."

He shook it off and wrapped her into a tight hug. "I'll be back in a few weeks."

"Promise me you'll be back by the last day of summer," Winry pulled back, her blue eyes searching his for any sign of remembrance about that day.

Ed's brow furrowed as he tried to remember the significance. "Why that specific day?"

Winry fought to keep her temper in check, and let out a soft sigh. "You would forget our anniversary, wouldn't you, you idiot."

His eyes widened and he pulled her back into a tight hug, whispering in her ear. "I could never forget that. I promise I'll be home to spend our anniversary together."

Winry snuggled her head against his chest. "Be careful. And don't forget how much I love you."

The memory faded away and Winry leaned back, rubbing her elbow across her forehead again to keep sweat from dripping into her eyes. The crust was finally ready. Stretching it over the bottom of the pan, she grabbed the filling she'd prepared earlier. Edward had repeatedly praised her by saying how much he loved her baking, even when she had burnt a handful of the first attempts. She prided herself in the culinary skills that she'd been developing over the last several years. Her focus was so intent on her pie that she missed the distant sound of the train whistle.

Edward leaned his elbow on the windowsill and watched the countryside go by. He was back on the train heading home, and as always, a sense of anticipation grew the closer he drew to Resembool. There was a bittersweetness, but since he and Al had gotten their bodies back, it was more sweet than bitter. A grin crossed his face when he remembered Winry's face that first homecoming with Al back in his natural body. He couldn't name when it had happened, but he'd found love with his automail mechanic, and she was now forever his.

The train slowed to a halt at the familiar station. Ed shouldered his suitcase and grabbed his olive green trench coat. He stepped gingerly off the train, feeling the bolts in his automail creak. He'd need to have Winry take a look at the joints that connected in his knee. He'd spent a lot of his time kneeling in fields, more than even he had anticipated, and as a result, the leg was feeling rather stiff and caused him pain by the end of the day.

His ears rang as the sharp sound of the train whistle rang out, followed by the thunderous sound of the locomotive as the conveyance pulled away. He watched it disappear before beginning the long walk outside of town to the house he called home with Winry and her aged granny, Pinako. He waved at several people who called out to him, wishing him well as he passed by.

His steps slowed when he got near the cemetery. He turned and crossed the hillside, finding the stones for his parents. He knelt in front of them, swallowing back the grunt of pain from the automail limb as he did so. Bowing his head, he silently paid his respects, his thoughts addressing first his mother, and then his father. He shifted to sitting back like he did as a child, allowing the late summer breeze to blow through his hair and warm him to the core.

Ed lost all track of time, finally lifting his head and pushing himself to his feet when he felt the sun shift to beating down on his ponytail and his neck. He picked up his discarded suitcase with his coat, and grinned when he saw the house at the top of the hill. Judging by the timing, Winry and Pinako would probably have dinner well on its way to being ready. Fixing his automail could wait til later. He threw his bag back over his shoulder and began the slow climb up the final hill.

Den was the first to acknowledge Edward as he neared the house. The old dog lifted his head and gave a single, low bark when the blond climbed the steps. Ed stopped and ruffled his ears, the dog's tail thumping happily as he welcomed him home. He could hear the soft sounds of his wife conversing with Granny from inside, and the smell of stew combined with pie wafted out through one of the open windows.

He opened the door quietly, hanging his coat on the rack. His suitcase was set close by with a soft thump, and immediately the voices stopped.

"Ed? Is that you?" Winry's soft tone called from the kitchen.

He didn't answer verbally, instead moving to the doorway of the kitchen where he knew she'd see him, and opened his arms, bracing for impact. He wasn't disappointed. Within seconds, his arms were full, and her blonde head was pressed against his chest.

Pinako's voice came from their right at the stove. "Welcome home, Ed. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to see you before the summer ended. But Winry insisted that you'd made her a promise. Now, here you are." She watched as the young couple hugged each other and a smile crossed her face. "You must be famished from your trip. Why don't you wash up and then take a seat? Dinner is ready. Your timing was rather impeccable."

Ed pulled away from his wife slowly, pressing a kiss on the top of her head as he did so. "I'll be right back," he assured her then he rolled up his sleeves and headed to the sink.

Winry watched him go, a peaceful smile settling on her face. She hadn't said a word since moving into his arms, but she didn't feel the need to. Her heart was full, and conversation could wait.

Stories from the alchemy enthusiast kept things lighthearted and pleasant throughout the meal. Accounts of farmers using alchemy for the health and wellbeing of their livestock, and the talent of said farmers had Ed's eyes dancing and his tone full of childlike enthusiasm. Winry came right back with stories of several old friends who came by to visit in his absence, all in need of her automail skills. Ed chuckled at the mention of Peninya, the girl from Rush Valley with two automail legs.

"You mean to tell me that even with the talented automail mechanics in Rush Valley, she came all the way out here to see you?"

"She did. But she wasn't just coming to see me for my work on automail. She was also giving us a wedding invitation. She's getting married early next year, in the winter months, to one of the mechanics from Rush Valley," Winry explained.

Edward nearly choked on his stew. "She's getting married? You don't say. Well, good for her, and best wishes to the happy couple." He raised his glass of water in toast.

"I told her that we would do our best to be at the ceremony. She was most insistent that we try to make it, if at all possible." Her blue eyes narrowed slightly. "You didn't already have plans during that time, did you?"

"N-no, and even if I did, I could change them just as easily. Most of my trips aren't time-sensitive," Ed shot back.

Pinako slid her chair back. "Well, I shall leave you two lovebirds to settle that. I think I shall retire early. Don't forget to tuck that pie away when you've finished what you want of it." She stood slowly and pressed a kiss on Ed's forehead, then on Winry's.

"Thanks, Granny," Ed replied.

"And thank you again for the advice about the pie crust," Winry added. "It came out well."

Pinako gave a slight nod. "You do quite well creating things, Winry. Don't get discouraged, and don't ever forget that."

Ed cocked his head but didn't say anything. It seemed slightly out of character for the old woman to say, but he shook it off, returning to the conversation at hand.

"So, Rush Valley at the beginning of the year?" He said conversationally once she'd left the room.

Winry handed him a piece of pie and slid back into her seat. "That's the plan, unless something major comes up between then and now."

Her husband's brow furrowed in concentration, then eased when a bite of the pie met his tongue. He groaned softly and gave a closed mouth smile as he finished the first taste. "Wonderful job on the pie, Win. Thanks!"

She smiled. "Glad you like it. I finished it this afternoon."

"And yet you're not eating any. I thought you usually tried the baked goods that you make?" Ed asked, noticing her empty plate.

"I wasn't in the mood this time," she said simply, and got up again, busying herself with tucking away the remains of the pie and washing the dishes from dinner.

The room was quiet as Ed finished his slice of pie, and leaned back in his chair. "That really hit the spot. Nothing is quite as good as coming home to Resembool. Coming home to you."

Winry smiled over her shoulder at him. "I'm glad. It's almost too quiet without you around. Though…" she trailed off and Ed didn't hear the end of her sentence.

"Though?" He stood and carried his empty pie plate to the sink. "Though what?"

"It might not always be so quiet," she mumbled, taking the plate and scrubbing it clean of apple residue. Her face was hidden by the do-rag over her head, and she was purposely facing away from him.

"Winry, what are you talking about?" Ed asked, concern starting to creep into his voice. "Are you okay? You're not acting like your usual self. Snap out of it."

Winry dried the final plate and set it on the counter before she turned to him. "Ed, I.. I'm pregnant. You're going to be a father."

Of all the things that Edward Elric had expected to hear from his wife's mouth at that moment, this was not on the list. He stood perfectly still, his mouth falling open at the shock.

Winry's cheeks were flushed and she looked at the floor before gazing back into her husband's golden eyes. "Well, say something," she whispered.

The touch of uncertainty in her blue eyes snapped him back to reality, and he wrapped her in a tight hug. "We… we're going to have a baby?" he whispered in her ear, tears starting to flow down his face as the emotion of the situation struck him.

She nodded against his shoulder. "According to Granny, the baby will come in the spring. I should be fine to travel to Rush Valley for the wedding though. I double-checked with her before I told you about the event."

Ed pulled back slightly, seeing the tear stains on her face matching his. "Win, we're going to have a baby."

She giggled and nodded. "We are. And you're going to make a great father. I'm sure of it."

He leaned in and tenderly kissed her. Coming home had never meant so much to him. Sure, Resembool as a place was his home, but wherever Winry was, and now their baby, he would be home.


End file.
